As an Australian it honestly makes me tear up seeing so many international people discover John Farnham - he is an absolute unrivaled legend and deserves all the love in the world. This is definitely on the list of "Covers better than the originals".
I was thinking the same thing, how, as a country, did we manage to have this talent, watch it grow, yet never see him take over the world! The world definitely has some catching up to do. I absolutely LOVE watching people react to Farnham, the absolute shock on their faces 😅
@@TrippyTechnologyMusic I’d love to have a word .. or 622 words… with these so called experts … who ramble on and on - ad nauseam- on the talents of others.. or lack of. Made worse by their attempts to singalong!! Have mercy! The arrogant and the ignorant, using a gift that others possess, as reason to put their own bland faces in front of a camera….and attempt to critique. This is how they earn money? Shame on them! Living off the talent of others. Must be a word for that…….
My wife and I were at a horse riding competition, western and stock work. Sitting on the grass hill at the back of the arena and a lady was riding her horse in and about to compete Out of the crowd comes a melodic super strong voice yelling "You got this babe, just like in practice !" It was John and his wife was riding. sn unmistakable voice !
He is (singing aside) what we used to call an entertainer. He sings, jokes, interacts, includes and invites his audience into the moment. He is the cosumate entertainer. He is also a very funny and engaging bugger, off stage. He took the time on a sunny saturday afternoon outside a Sydney restaurant to sit and chat with my then 70+ year old parents and their friends, after he saw that they recognised him but were clearly too shy to come to him and talk say hello... so he went to them. 10 mins out of his time but a lifetime of a moment for mum & dad and friends on a weekend trip to Sydney. He is the best.
Well said @wonsworld. Everybody loves Farnsy. I mean everybody. Growing up in Oz, even my old boy new that he’d be out in a second if mum ever had a chance with John Farnham.
I remember when he performed The Main Event with Olivia Newton-John and Anthony Warlow and watching John and Anthony have so much fun together was the highlight of my childhood
Our John is the most talented, gorgeous, kind family man. he gives his all to audiences. He just came through a mouth cancer, he is now Cancer free. Australians LOVE YOU JOHN. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Was a bloody funny bugger too Tania! I've seen him in concert twice back in the early 2000's and he was always cracking jokes between songs and sets, what an absolute legend!
your right, John is in every way a true Aussie, and a true gentleman everyone in Australia know and love him and one of the best if not the best entertainers, Oz was rocked to its core with his cancer diagnosis
Paul McCartney has gone on record as saying that, “this is the way I wanted it sung” and “my favourite version” of the song. You probably can’t get a higher compliment than that.
'When Something is Wrong with My Baby', a duet with Jimmy Barnes is impressive from both gentlemen. There are different versions on YT from later in his career, but it was a released few years after the 1988 Full House tour version of 'Help'. He also played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar in the 90s. His 'Gethsemane' is breath-taking and my default version of it. He is a national beloved icon in Australia. He is one of our greatest artists, with a vocal range comparable to the greats like Freddie Mercury but apart from a handful of songs, he isnt well known outside of here. I hope you look at more of his stuff. He has had an impressive career. While he was successful in his teens and 20s, he faded into near-obscurity before his album 'Whispering Jack' (some 20 years later) made him a megastar.
Came here to say this! Has to be one of the live versions, though - there are several on UA-cam and I vacillate constantly over which one is the best... I think it's this one, the 'Barnesy & Farnesy' clip: ua-cam.com/video/RAlFHSPLHpo/v-deo.html
Im sure most are aware John had half his bottom jaw removed from cancer. He is fighting hard and is greatful for the love. I will send him and Jill this video and pass on your love and prayers.
Yes, please do. I knew he'd had to have part of his jaw removed, I was hoping it wasn't so much, although I kind of knew it probably was. He has so much love from so many people around the country and the world, and I know that he is also surrounded by love from his family and friends. I hope he is doing OK, and I hope he knows how special he is to all of us, and whilst we are blown away and eternally grateful for getting to experience his amazing voice, it's not his voice which has made us love him, it's the person that we've seen behind the voice that does that.
I am a 58 year old classical music teacher and appreciate brilliance when I hear , I am ashamed I i have never heard of this man until now , this is stunning
Andrew, check out these John Farnham songs ( always play the live versions). Something is wrong with my baby, Playing to win, Its a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll, Black dog cover Led Zeppelin and John Farnham / Anthony Warlow Granada. That should get you started.
This is beautiful! Discovering something for the 1st time. Now I am probably your polar opposite. I grew up with John on the radio, TV, family records, tapes, vhs, CD, DVD... I can't tell you how many times I've seen and heard this version (we had the vhs & tape) but it STILL gives me goosebumps. Everytime!
I feel like he's the best kept vocal secret of the entire world, and now, decades later, when he's in his 70s and battling ill health, the rest of the world is finally catching up....
We certainly knew about him in Sweden back in the 80s. I remember my mom had a few records and everyone who was around back then has at least heard You're The Voice
@@antivanti Yes, as an old swede (56y) I can confirm that! "You´re The Voice" was a huge hit in Sweden. It´s a big mystery why he isn´t more recognized that he is. Imo he´s one of the greatest singers/entertainers ever and are sooooo underrated! Please, get well again, John ❤
John Farnham was a teenage pop star in the 1960's. In 1985 he was considered a has been and could not get a label to record him. His manager mortgaged his house to record Whispering Jack (the album that preceded this tour) staking everything to support his long time friend and they showed that popularity does not always mean that ultimate talent is displayed. He's an Australian icon who, while it appears he has beaten his health crisis, will probably never perform again. Thanks for everything you gave us John Farnham!
This dude is so deeply loved. I remember my mum frantically trying to find the right station on the hifi’s radio as this was a live simulcast so people at home could get the sense of being there from home, was such an nationwide event. By this point he’d already been playing with the audience and having so much fun. That smile at the beginning of Help is the kind of love for an audience that I’ve rarely seen since.
👍… reading your mentions of ‘simulcast’ and ‘Hifi’, you’re making me feel old 😂. I remember watching this very concert over 30 years ago. So love, through the way you’re analysing, that you very clearly LOVED this performance. ❤
And the good news is that he is as lovely a person as the smile suggests. Generous, funny, always a down-to-earth, normal bloke who has the time of day for everyone. Married for 50 years, and never a hint of scandal despite being in the public eye since he was 19 (he's now 74), and having had women throwing themselves at him for decades. If you watch more of his performances, you'll notice a couple of things (aside from his wonderful voice) - he always acknowledges the musicians on stage with him and gives them their time to shine, and he has a beautiful rapport with his audience. You will not find a performance where he is giving less than 100%, and we love him for that. Most of his musicians stayed with him for decades, and all continue to speak glowingly of him to this day. This man is absolutely beloved in Australia, and for good reason. As someone else said here, he is a very special human.
@@Saan42 I’ve been doing some reading about his life and you’re absolutely correct. I’ve not found anything negative about him. I’ve watched about 15 hours worth of videos of him and each moment is more impressive than the previous. I’m so happy to have learned about him and his incredible journey!
I'm a 60 year old man, and I've loved Johny all my life. He's a fairdinkum, down to earth bloke. And to watch you react, and appreciate him for the mam, the singer he was, brought tears to my eyes. What a great man!
I had never heard of John Farnham until you reacted to "You're the Voice." HIS voice is superb--so much range but so controlled and emotive. One of the best ever!
Check out his rendition of "Black Dog", it's only audio as he used it as a Mic. check and not a part of his performance. One day a Sound Engineer taped it, and we're so lucky that he did. I think it's even better than the Led Zepplin original.
It's worth checking out his albums from the late 80's and early 90's like Whispering Jack, Age of Reason and Chain Reaction which were sort of the peak of his mullet period when he was at his biggest before his career sort of switched over to doing big shows for the older set and being the experienced older singer teaming up with young groups like human nature. There's also a newly released documentary about him that'd probably be worth a look if you can find it called something like Finding The Voice since his career almost died well before this era, because he'd popped up doing a novelty song back in like 1968 that his career took nearly two decades to recover from because everyone associated him with a terrible song that got popular.
What I really love about this is that the audience is singing along using Farnhams melody! They all know HIS version by heart from the first line. Even though it's completely different than The Beatles version.
Possibly the greatest male vocalist of all time. Proud to be an Australian when I hear him sing. He makes it seem so effortless. I think John Lennon would have loved this version of his song. He’s just announced he beat cancer and is out of hospital. Great news. God bless John Farnham.
Someone commented on another reaction vid to this performance that John Lennon is quoted as saying shortly before he died "That's the way it was supposed to be sung" & god I hope that's true. Reading that absolutely brought tears to my eyes...!
A Sydney granny agrees. It may be urban myth, but I was told that when Lennon heard it he declared it the best version he had heard, and that when he wrote it he heard that potential but just could not get it out of the group. Peace and love...
This concert was advertised as John and his Big Band in typical Aussie understatement, it's a 100+ piece orchestra for crying out loud. lol This song is one of the last songs of the night after he has already sung his heart out for nearly 3 hours, and Farnsey also has a way of getting into the emotions of your soul. A couple of songs worth checking have been mentioned below, plus these are worth a look also. The reason you haven't heard of him is because the US music industry is a closed little club. When John Farnham went to the US they didn't know which genre to put him in so his US promotions manager got him a couple of gigs in a little jazz club, where the MC introduced him as Jack Phantom. Couldn't even be bothered getting his name correct, so being a bit disheartened he wandered home to concentrate on his loyal fan base. The experience did give him inspiration to write a couple of good songs about missing his family, like this one. -Burn For You.. ua-cam.com/video/4PPvOhPspEA/v-deo.html -Angels.. Notice how he holds the mike below his chest, both mikes are a metre away, which he does all the time to not drown out the other singers. John and Lisa Edwards, a top singer in her own right, and one of John's back up singers for 20+ years. ua-cam.com/video/5_2NJRIdBO8/v-deo.html -To show the calibre of his other back up Singers, showing you have to be good in your own right, just like Lisa. Vanetta Fields and Lindsey Field. ua-cam.com/video/_x6N94OEkZQ/v-deo.html -Please Don't Ask Me.. This one with Olivia Newton John, who we have recently lost. John has also had major cancer surgery including removal of part of his jaw and we may not hear him sing again. So let's enjoy this one as well.. ua-cam.com/video/2uV_tZODfK8/v-deo.html -When Something Is Wrong With My Baby.... And even when he is singing with one of the most powerful voices on the planet, Jimmy Barnes, he still put the mike away from his face and closer to Jonny Diesel on guitar. ua-cam.com/video/AU_bCchDWF4/v-deo.html Or this version. ua-cam.com/video/RAlFHSPLHpo/v-deo.html -When The War Is Over… Possibly one of his greatest vocals. ua-cam.com/video/lfWrXc5eN8g/v-deo.html -Or is the greatest. Gethsemane.. ua-cam.com/video/k5woMZtClhI/v-deo.html -How about a mike test. He has the power and ability to distort microphones, amps, and speaker stacks. So this sort of setting up of the venue test is a must. Lol Black Dog. ua-cam.com/video/F2Yi6TVi-sU/v-deo.html Besides having the best voice ever, JF can adjust his tone, pitch, volume, to match the person he is singing with to either match them or sing just under them depending on who's the head line act, he will even back himself down when he is the head line to give others their moment to shine, and if my ears were sensitive enough, I wouldn't be surprised if he could vary his vibrato, timbre and all of those other things that voices can do so he could accentuate the other singers.
This was not the last song of that particular recorded concert. There was another encore after Help where he sang Sadie and It's a Long Way to the Top. Plus this recorded concert was closer to 2 hours than it was to 3. John was known to mix things up between nights which is why so many people incorrectly say this concert (the recorded show) went for 3 hours and Help was the last song.
@@devilsadvocate2548 Somone freaked out and corrected me a couple of weeks ago, that's why I changed this list to 'one of the last songs, rather than 'the' last song, or the 'encore' or whatever I had been told 18 months ago. I also said nearly 3 hours, but I'm not going to penalise him for half an hour or so, especially if this wasn't his first show of the tour. Just because he didn't sing 3 hours when this particular clip was recorded, doesn't change the fact that it would have sounded just as brilliant, just as emotional, and his voice would have sounded just as powerful, soulful, and as sweet if he had sung it as the last song of a 16 hour Telethon.
Around 20 or so years ago, Australia was experiencing some very bad droughts on the Eastern side of the country. John decided to do a series of concerts up and down the East Coast, and in the affected rural areas, to raise money for the drought affected areas. 60 minutes Australia did a story on the tour as something strange was happening. Almost everywhere he performed, it rained, earning him a new nickname, The Rainman. Whilst 60 minutes was recording footage of a concert for the story, they were filming a song called 'Talk of the Town', which, ironically, is about drought breaking rain, it began to pour down with rain. Just thought I'd like to share that.
What years? I don't remember him doing that and rains coming coincidentally in time? I remember droughts in the early 2000s over East... I am in WA. @@damientaylor7480
Really? The Coalition ran a campaign based on lies, rumors and innuendo without providing a single scrap of evidence to support their claims, and that's all you got out of it? John Farnham lent his song in support of something he believed in. The only thing the Coalition achieved is that they made us look like a bunch of racists to the world. This is because the only thing they believe in is gaining power for themselves for the sake of gaining power. @@Defensive_Wounds
As a fellow Australian thank you so much for continuing down this amazing rabbit hole of John Farnham. John Lennon was quoted as saying that this version of Help by John Farnham was always how he envisioned the song to sound. I loved your reaction so much.
It wasn't John Lennon as Lennon died a few months after Farnsie first recorded his verison of Help in 1980. It was Paul McCartney that said he preferred this slower version to the original.
@@Rob_D74 no it was John Lennon who made the comment on how much more he preferred John Farnham’s version when he first heard it not that long before he died. I saw the documentary when John actually mentioned that when he wrote the song at the time, it was written as a cry for help. John hated the Beatles, original version. It was the studio execs who forced them to speed it up so that it sounded more “Preppy” and commercial. The documentary showed him at home at the Dakota apartment in New York. just sitting at the piano singing a beautiful slow version, the way he always wanted it to be.
That was the best evaluation, examination, and appreciation of a song I’ve ever seen online. Your understanding of the mechanics of voice production and your unbridled excitement, is a joy to behold Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion in such an insightful way.
I've been waiting a year for the best reactor to react to the greatest male singer ever. The result was worth the wait, I knew you would be mesmerized by John!😂
If you haven't already, I recommend checking out his other songs, 'Burn for You', 'You're the Voice', 'Playing to Win', 'That's Freedom', 'Touch of Paradise' and his duet with Jimmy Barnes, 'When Something is Wrong with My Baby'...to get you started :)
Here is an example how how famous he is in Australia. This concert was televised live in the 90s. It was advertised for week and we pland our day around it.
@gman7949 Same. I'm in my late 40's and live overseas now. I saw him as a kid at the Sydney Entertainment Center and never truly realized how amazingly talented he was until now. So proud he is an Aussie!
Im not sure it's been mentioned. This was the ENCORE performance after a full concert. The man was legit a legend ! One of his infamous warm-ups was Black Dog by Led zeppelin. Sadly, there is no vision, but the audio is absolutely next level!!!
@heffatheanimal that was a different night. This recorded one went closer to 2 hours as he was known to mix things up a bit. Regardless, his vocal endurance was incredible.
I am convinced that like athletes, some people are genetically gifted to perform at extraordinary levels in their given sport specialty. This man was gifted with an incredible anatomical vocal structure. He's amazing!
Absolutely. But John Farnham's sublime talent is also about his charisma, energy, connection to audience and song, and joy in performance . How lucky we were to get all those traits in one wonderful human being!
Farnham turned this song into something so much more than a cover. It’s a different version altogether and one more consistent with how it was originally intended (Lennon wanted this to be a slower song but apparently record producers encouraged a poppier version). I would recommend adding hashtags to John Farnham to your post if you want more people to find this video. Many thanks from 🇦🇺 ❤
Your excitement for John’s passion is awesome. I hope you have millions of views on this reaction including EVERY Aussie. We have been the lucky ones for many years. 🇦🇺
I agree with many comments saying that John is Australia’s best kept vocal secret. I’m enjoying seeing so many young, overseas reactors appreciating this great artist. For those that don’t know, John recently battled throat cancer & underwent a mammoth operation. We weren’t sure whether we’d ever hear that wonderful voice again. Latest updates reveal that John is currently cancer free & is back singing & dancing around the house. I couldn’t be happier to hear this & know others feel the same. We hope to see you back onstage, one day & are so happy you’re beating that beast cancer. Lots of love to John from all of us! 💕
Oh thank you so much for the update. This fills my ❤ with joy and happiness. To hear that he is C free and is singing again is wonderful news. John filled my life with happiness so so many times. Loved every concert I saw him in - he brought the house down at the Fire Fight concert. Love you John. ❤❤ be well
This guy, I'm speechless. Just a few seconds in and I'm holding back tears...well, at least I try to hold them back. I don't know. Just thankful for people like him. Makes me glad to be alive, which in this world doesn't happen to me very much. F'n love this guy.
I’ve been listening to him since I was a kid… yet I am sitting in a waiting room…watching this (to kill time) and welling up🥹. It is extraordinary how well he sings this song live!
I know John but I never heard this version of the fab 4 Help. And I have to say this is so much better, so intense. And the beginning, just say nothing and smile to his audience. He made me cry from happiness. Thank you John and Elizabeth, you made my dat🎉😅🎉
You do realise that he sang this song in front of the Queen of England. Everyone was amazed that he sang it as a ballad. He's now recovering from jaw cancer but he's still the best vocalist in Australia!!!!!!!
John is an incredible artist. His duet with Olivia Newton John singing "Please don't ask me" it is a beautiful song and shows his connection with Olivia. Angels, Amazing Grace and When something is wrong with my baby are 3 different songs that show multiple sides of John's unbelievable talent and personality.
What John Farnham song should we suggest to Elizabeth next? Personally I think his duet with Jimmy Barnes 'When something is wrong with my baby' preferably the Hey Hey it's Saturday version. This way it'll open the door for her to react to Barnsey and Johnny Diesel ;)
Yes Yes and Yes. It HAS to be the ‘Hey Hey It’s Saturday’ version with the Diesel acapella ending !!! It’s about time we introduced Elizabeth to another Aussie Icon, Jimmy Barnes. Please Elizabeth, hear our prayers 🙏
John is a family man and never wanted the lifestyle of more reconised entertainers. His voice will achieve what he was reluctant to do and travel the world. Thank you John for sharing your talent.
Your delight in discovering John's voice is delicious 😂. The next 'blow your socks off' song would have to be Gethsemane, final night Sydney 1992. John and Anthony Warlow performing Granada is great fun. And to go back to his earliest displays of vocal perfection, try Bridge Over Troubled Water, from 1979. (lots of lovely mouth shapes) He was always The Voice. What you realise as you listen to more of his work is that his voice seems to have no limits. And all without any vocal training.
What a voice. Toward the end of the song, when he's really belting it out, did you notice how far he holds the microphone from his mouth? His voice is so powerful that he can sing with the microphone around a foot away from his mouth, yet the sound still comes through so powerfully. Also, John Farnham is a national treasure in Australia.
I read a comment by a sound technician that worked with him and he said John's voice is so powerful that he blew the mic amps. Perhaps it's why he moves the mic away when he belts.
And you can tell it's powerful when he has to hold the mike away so he doesn't drown out Jimmy Barnes, arguably one of the most powerful voices on the planet, ever.
for someone new to Farnham, its just so lovely to see the absolutely joy in your face and seeing him do what he does. We've known and loved him forever!
I have seen John live in concert over 50 times in my life. He is the greatest male artist of all time and it brings a tear to my eye that UA-cam is helping him get discovered by the rest of the world. We love him so much is in Australia 🇦🇺! Your comment about gospel is something that many experts have made before. You need to watch his whole catalogue. Thank you for sharing!
For this to be the closing song of that concert is mind-boggling. What an amazing vocalist, like on a Freddie Mercury-level amazing. I'm sorry it took so long for me to discover this treasure of a singer, but I feel rewarded that I finally did.
Yet what's even more mind boggling is that it wasn't the closing song that night. There was another encore after Help where he sang Sadie and the high energy It's a Long Way to the Top.
Actually Freddy Mercury was a fan of John he said that John had the purest and perfect voice he has every heard. After Freddy pass away he was ask to replace Freddy has their lead singer John declined respectfully, he wasn’t interested in touring he’d done that with LRB and wanted to stay in Australia with his family and continue his solo career which we are so grateful for we have nearly 60 years of The Voice. He is a national treasure here in Australia a bloody legend. You don’t compare him to anyone, his voice is unique and one that is respected and admired by his peers all over the world. The rabbit hole is a long and deep one with John and there are many clips on UA-cam, even concerts this one included which just phenomenal from stat to finish. He stated out at 17 and released he’s first single in 1968 with Sadie the cleaning lady it was no1 hit.. he performed right until March 2020 he was 70 then covid hit. last year John lost his best mate and full time manager to covid then he lost his long time good friend Olivia Newton John and 2 weeks after that he was diagnosed with month and underwent a 12 hour operation to remove the cancerous growth and have reconstructive surgery done to his jaw his still going through treatment and from what we have been told his responding well but it a long haul. we don’t know if John will ever sing again and most are saying he won’t but honestly all we want is for him to well and be with his family he deserves that after all he has given us over the years.. always listen to John live you won’t be sorry.. 🧐🥰🇦🇺
I was crying throughout this guy's Amazing performance, His voice together with his personality makes him so likeable and it's at the top of my playlist now for sure.
His mic technique and vocalisation are top tier. take any live performance from his 20s right through to his 70s and you won't be disappointed. Here are some other performances to look out for from John Farnham. When possible always choose live performances from him. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin Pressure Down Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head Burn For You Don't You Know It's Magic One That's Freedom Two Strong Hearts John Farnham & Jimmy Barnes When The War Is Over - Cold Chisel John Farnham & Jimmy Barnes When Something Is Wrong With My Baby - Sam & Dave A Touch Of Paradise Playing To Win Seemed Like A Good Idea Every Time You Cry Long Way to the Top If You Want to Rock n Roll - ACDC
This is a very revealing look at the man behind the voice. His friendliness just pours out of him as he eggs on the crowd in their singing of the first verse. He is known as a genuinely nice guy. No pretension or self importance, just a man with an amazing voice, who loves to bring happines to his audience and so actively engages with them, so it becomes a collaboration. Can’t speak highly enough of him. His obvious joy at the audience participation is infectious and endearing. We in Australia have been truly blessed.
Lucky to have seen John perform a number of times. As an Australian I am proud to say he is a National Treasure and an absolute legend. Grateful for what he has given us all.
It is so nice to finally see the rest of the world appreciate and love John Farnham as much as we Aussie's have for decades. In this particular video, it is so nice to see someone almost falling in love with his voice, just like I did 30+ years ago. We loved him first, but more than happy to share.
The thing about John is that it is all natural. Sure his voice has developed with all the work over the years, but he always had this voice, and is pretty much untrained. At this time he was a heavy smoker too. He does some light opera with fellow Australian Anthony Warlow (Our original Phantom) and is amzing there as well. He started as a teenager and has given his all for over half a century. His comedic talent is also superb and he never stops showing appreciation to the musos and audience who have travelled the journey with him. He is an amazing human and a living legend. He is in his 70s now, recovering from cancer surgery and every single Aussie is behind him, willing him on and wishing him well. A documentary on his life was released a couple of weeks ago here in theatres. We love our Farnsy! Get well John! 💕💕
Hi Elizabeth. Thankyou so much for being so kind, so genuine, and so polite when crossing paths today. It was so nice to chat with you. The cliche of living in a small world, and rotten Aussies everywhere 😂 To all Elizabeths subscribers, she is just as wonderful meeting in person, as she is on UA-cam
This is the best reaction i've seen from you Elizabeth John is an icon and a national treasure. During the 70s and 80s he was a regular guest on a variety show where he sang with some of the biggest stars on the planet including Pavarotti Tom Jones and Tina Turner who was so impressed with him that she added his version of Help to her own setlist He is the only artist in this country to have had a number 1 single five decades in a row. Before releasing Help his friend and manager Glen Wheatley played it to Lennon and McCartney. Lennon loved it and said that was how it was supposed to have sounded but because it was used for the title track for the movie the Beatles version had to be peppy! The Whispering Jack album is still the biggest selling record in Australian history going six times platinum. At one point it believed that one in four households owned a copy! And here's the kicker Elizabeth; John is self taught! He has never had a singing lesson in his life! He learned how to sing by practising in the shower! More recently he was diagnosed with cancer in his mouth and went through a 13 hour operation that included the removal of part of his jaw. Everyone here in Oz wishes him the best for a full recovery and according to his wife Jill he's doing well. The reason you've never heard of him is he loves his family and was always happy to play for Australian audiences who also loved him. His nickname here is The Voice even today! I would recommend the duet he sang with Olivia Newton John even though it's one of the songs he wrote for Jill it's a gorgeous performance and shows how close the two of were having known each other since the 70s. And also the duet with Jimmy Barnes who is also a national icon here. Although you may fall into a Barnsley rabbit hole because Jimmy is also incredible to hear! Lots of love to you and yours! Keep doing what you do better than anyone else!!! Jon
John Farnham has not had vast vocal training in the way that say an opera singer would, but to say he’s completely self taught is not true. I’ve heard him with my own ears reply to the question about training as “very little “. Someone with his natural talent can take “very little “, build on it and expand it into a lot. But he’s NOT completely self taught.
I can't remember the details, but I think Richard Marx was so impressed by him that he paid him a stack of cash to go to the US to do a party so he could show him off
This was a great video. I had never heard of this guy until now. I did some research on him and he’s a HUGE success in Australia! He’s like a national treasure over there. I was saddened to find out he had to have part of his jaw removed, due to cancer!!!! As a cancer patient, myself, that really hit me. Cancer sucks so bad. To think this guy will never share this amazing gift again is absolutely heartbreaking. I hope he heals up enough to continue sharing his gift with the world. Thank you for posting this wonderful video ❤
I knew he had oral cancer, I didn’t know that he had part of his jaw removed 😢 He was a chain smoker for most of his life, he use to chew gum on stage!
His feels like a part of most ppl's family here in Australia! Your words were very sweet and he genuinely deserves all the accolades he gets such a beautiful humble man who loves his fans as much as we love him... A movie was recently released on his life called John Farnham finding the voice... Well worth a watch showing his climb from the 60's till he became the voice we know and love today.. ❤
He has recovered his family states hes now cancer free and he is sing around the house but we have to remember he is now 74. But he sung right up to he was 72 live
I've been looking forward to this, and it's about time. Just for a bit of context, John did this as an encore after already performing for two hours, and that just makes it even more phenomenal. I worked on live shows in Australia for 17 years, for both Australian and international acts, and IMHO John rates as close to being one of the best singers of all time. Something I have come to believe very much is that a person can be a technically good singer, but to be a truly great singer you need passion, for the music and the lyrics. You need to put your feelings into the song, and push yourself even if the notes you hit aren't absolutely perfect, and this is something that John Farnham is a master at. He connects with the music, the song, and the audience. If you're gonna go down this rabbit hole, the next one on the list should be Burn For You: ua-cam.com/video/4PPvOhPspEA/v-deo.html
As a New Zealander who lived in Australia for a long while, I've been listening to Farnesy for about 30 years. Gott-damned that man can sing. This is the 'Help" version I grew up on too, not the Beatles version. I've been waiting for this video.
Don't know if you've ever heard it but check out his version of the Led Zepplin song "Black Dog" just adds to the amazement of J.F. He only used itas a Mic. Check. so it's only audio as a sound engineer recorded it one day.
i worked fold back monitoring for JF for a show here in melbourne and got to speak to him about his vibrato and voice and what he wanted in his fold back mix. he said not much i think we had a bit of a 1/32 dely a quick reverb on his vocal. he made me cry hearing this live backstage. i have a full accepella of this on dat tape. you are dead right on all his vowels and shaping of words he the masters voice! we all pray for JF and hope for a brighter future!
Hi, I just wanted to start by saying that I am a huge fan of you, and your channel, I have been watching for the last few years and I have to say, your reaction to John Farnham’s version of Help is by far my favourite reaction of yours ever, you could tell that you were genuinely pleased and surprised by Johns singing. I have been a fan of John’s my whole life, I’m 58 right now and have been following his career from when he recorded Sadie The Cleaning Lady in the late 60’s when he was known as Johnny Farnham, I was there during his lows as well, when he could hardly get anyone to a concert, he has become a legend in the Australian music industry and is viewed by many to be Australia’s best singer, ever. I was there in 1989 at the National Tennis Centre for the concert with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and it was an amazing night that I will never forget. I have also been lucky enough to meet and talk with John on 3 occasions, and he is a wonderful, friendly, funny guy to talk with. If you want to see some amazing live duets he has done, do yourself a favour and have a look at one he did with the great Olivia Newton John “Please Don’t Ask Me” its an amazing emotional performance by them both, or have a look at the live performances of “When Something is Wrong with My Baby” he has done with the Australian rock legend, Jimmy Barnes. Unfortunately, John underwent surgery last year for Oral Cancer, and although it is still too early to tell, he may never sign again……….
Hi Craig, even if John can't ever sing again, he has left us with so many great performances and amazing vocals to listen to. Last time I heard him sing was at the Sirromet Winery here in Queensland. He was 70, and was still singing amazingly well. For his age he sang almost exactly the same as his younger self, although couldn't hold the notes as long, but it didn't matter, as his whole performance that afternoon was simply delightful. One of the best days of my life!
Elizabeth, thank you for giving this 80's humble Aussie one of the most loved moments on UA-cam. Your fearless passion for what you do, like I do with mine, and sometimes Im told to tone it down. Stay exactly how you are!
Thank you Elizabeth !! Been waiting for this one because we knew you'd love it !! I think most of us Aussies have heard John say ' if you know the words, please don't sing along because you'll stuff it up ' hahahaha... many many times... we've been very spoilt being able to see him live over the years... He performed every concert as if it was the first time he'd done it so that the audience got the best of him every time.... He is one of the most down to Earth and humble humans on the planet and we love him..... Playing to win or Long way to the top from the same concert are both epic... I'm sure you will be inundated with many more requests from everyone.
You really need to listen to john farnham and Jimmy Barnes singing "when something is wrong with my baby" Jimmy Barnes is another amazing singer. Thank you for tonight's reaction. I knew you'd be blown away. 👍
I literally am crying and am so proud of our legend John Farnham and am so privileged to have had his songs as my teen soundtrack. So proud of you John, please get well soon, we love you. Always in our prayers. Thank you for reacting so beautifully to John's epic voice. Much love from Queensland Australia 🦘💜
I'm crying too. I think he was a plumber - a tradesman - in his early years. And incredible that (if I'm remembering correctly) he went back to the building industry after his first few hits. It was another man - Glen Wheatley - who hocked his house to re-launch John with an album (Whispering Jack) that had the necessary time and production values put into it. The rest is history.
A beautiful human. We Aussie's are blessed to have grown up listening to this talented man. I have seen him live about 8 times & he is always the same. Humble & great fun. I hope his health continues to improve. We love you John.
I’ve rewatched this three times already. As an Australian, I’ve grown up listening to this great man and to see him being praised and appreciated for his craft is a beautiful thing ❤. Your a sweetheart, new subscriber xxx live your work!
A beloved, Australian treasure. Thank you for helping share his voice with the rest of the world. Turning a short song into a 25 minute reaction is a pretty good indication of how much you enjoyed our "Farnsey" as much as us Ozzies do.
The best voice l have ever heard,it was live! He is incredible,and l hope he is feeling the love ❤️ and his recovery from surgery going well❤️Thank you John🙏🏻Your music has been a big part of my life.
Thank you for doing this. John always delivers but his greatest gift, I think, is his emotional connection with his audience. Yes, he is technically solid, even brilliant, but he delivers all the emotions
Anyone else from Australia remember these shows being live on TV in the 1980's? Pretty sure they were 'simulcast' on the Fox or MMM networks, with the TV broadcast. A) You could prick pretty much any song from this concert with the MSO, and be suitably impressed B) Pretty sure every mum in Australia had a massive crush on John, he was a pretty good looking bloke, who could sing a wall down. Everyone of my Friends mums had this album on Vinyl or Cassette lol. C) The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra have been a force of nature for as long as I can remember. So many great Bands and Singers have played with them over the years. My Favorite Band, The Tea Party, have played with them on a couple of Tours, and it always takes their amazing music to another level with the extra layers. Thanks from Australia Elizabeth, and keep getting healthier John, we're all with you in your recovery from Cancer.
I just love our John his voice his personality his compassion and connection to people is undisputable, he is no secret we have loved him for many many years, he will always be discovered, recognised and admired as an awesome person, voice, and beautiful human being who just wanted to sing...and OMG can he flippen sing!!!
My favourite moment in this performance is when he allows the audience to complete the line “I’m feeling down” and then he stops completely and repeats it himself. I really like how the entire orchestra and backing singers take his cue for resuming the song. His paced resumption of the song was fully supported by the conductor and entire stage. Rehearsed that way of course, but executed with great style and accuracy. Enjoyed your reaction too!
This performance of Help was his second encore of the night... hard to believe he sings like THIS after singing his heart out for 2 and a half hours beforehand!!!
It was the end of his first encore this particular night. Sadie and It's a Long Way to the Top was in the second encore after Help. Plus, the recorded concert was closer to 2 hours. John was known to mix things up between nights! 😊
Especially when he tosses it around and catches it without missing a beat. Have you also noticed how he can bend right over or crouch down to someone in the audience and still belt a high note? Unbelievable!
Your appreciation for John’s skill, your fan girling just brings me joy. Those who get it, are in awe. What a beautiful man, with the most beautiful voice. Love you johnny
I’ve watched this reaction maybe half a dozen times over several months. I love how much you’re blown away by John’s performance. Here in Australia, we’ve been enjoying his talent for decades. And though he’s obviously aged, his voice hasn’t diminished, and neither has his passion, enthusiasm, and cheeky sense of fun. I’ve never heard a bad word said about him. Sadly, when I watch his videos now, it is with a deep, deep sadness, and I always tear up. You may know that John has been diagnosed with mouth cancer, and has had major surgery to his jaw. We don’t know what the future holds for him, or if he’ll ever be able to sing again. What a monumental loss that would be.
I have tears in my eyes.. John Farnham and Freddie Mercury are the reason I love to sing .. He is the finest male singer I’ve ever heard. Incredible. Another great singer to check out is John Waite, he is from 🇬🇧 and has an amazing range.
John would be one of Australia's most loved Aussies and not just because he is one of the greatest voices to ever sing but because he is the most humble down to earth cool dude you can ever imagine. I hope he lives forever ❤
It’s so bittersweet that we may not hear John sing again, but so so happy he is getting the recognition he deserves outside of our native Oz. He is an incredible singer and performer, and can truly sing anything. His range is up there with Freddy Mercury, and his singing hits you in the guts every time. I hope you read this comment Elizabeth so you can watch John singing accapella with his idol Sir Tom Jones on Hey Hey it’s Saturday. Tom was blown away by his range and pitch accuracy
There is another performance, from 2000, that you need to check: 'Angels'. It is an example of supremely skillful teamwork between him and his longtime back-up singer Lisa Edwards, plus a beautiful song to boot. It's completely acoustic and my current favourite. Of course it is also a great example of this singing. Plus a little bonus of his comedic talents at the beginning.
I have seen probably 50 reactions to this song, and this, BY FAR, is the very best reaction I have seen. The fact you go back time and time again to watch certain points in the video, shows just how incredibly blown away you were with the song and his amazing voice. I noticed that moment you loved in the second last line of the song, where he holds that note till he can no more, matched the last note that the saxophone played. Most other reactions to this video just play straight through, like what just happened is no big deal. I have even seen people just sit there stone faced as though nothing had happened. John only just parted the earth with that song, and I thank you for such a beautiful reaction. A reaction that this song totally deserves. Thank you.
Hi Elizabeth, I am not sure what I enjoyed more, John's amazing rendition of this song - or your reaction and appreciation of it. Both were stunning, and I am so glad that you got to experience this song. John has been part of the Aussie performing landscape for ever, and happily we have vids like these to continue to enjoy them. Cheers.
Elizabeth's reactions to John's incredible voice is wonderful. I just love how she had to go back and re-listen to certain parts. Elizabeth has become my favourite John Farnham reactor (and I watch a lot of them!) ❤
I am Australian, and slightly ashamed to admit that I have never been a huge fan. But this performance? Absolute perfection and a showcase of his undeniable talent and very special gift. When I need a lift, I come back to this video.
Well that was just everything I had hoped it would be. So very happy you picked up the coments and chose this one to react to. It's my perosnal favourite. Just completely next level. Hopefully you do find your way to checking out more of the Legend. His versatility is beyond compare - "Gethesemane" form Jesus Christ Superstar, "Black Dog" cover of Led Zepplin, "Burn for You" original song, "Granada" duet with Anthony Warlow, "Please Don't ASk Me" duet with Olivia Newton John, "When the War is Over" duet with Jimmy Barnes, "Reminiscing" with Little River Band, "Amazing Grace" with his backing singers, "My Yiddish Momme" duet with Tom Jones and "Bridge over Troubled Waters" cover form 1979. Seriously, There is absolutely nothing John cannot sing. All of them live performances pre-autotune and nothing but awesome! Again, thankyou for doing this one though. Simply the best cover song ever!
As an Australian it honestly makes me tear up seeing so many international people discover John Farnham - he is an absolute unrivaled legend and deserves all the love in the world.
This is definitely on the list of "Covers better than the originals".
I've always said it feels like a very proud parent moment 😅❤
John Lennon agreed with you when he heard it and said THAT is the way they wanted to do it but were over ruled.
🇦🇺👍😎
@@wyattfamily8997 ?????? John F recorded Help in 1986, John L died in 1980
Actually Help by John was released in July 1980.
As an Aussie watching these reactions you realise just how blessed we've been to have watched John's career unfold before our eyes.
So true - it's so good to share him with the world.
I was thinking the same thing, how, as a country, did we manage to have this talent, watch it grow, yet never see him take over the world! The world definitely has some catching up to do.
I absolutely LOVE watching people react to Farnham, the absolute shock on their faces 😅
Problem being, these critics love the sound of their own voice MORE!
Fkn straight up mate, usually only have to be teary for 3mins or whatever the length of the track is not friggin 25mins lol
@@TrippyTechnologyMusic I’d love to have a word .. or 622 words… with these so called experts … who ramble on and on - ad nauseam- on the talents of others.. or lack of.
Made worse by their attempts to singalong!!
Have mercy!
The arrogant and the ignorant, using a gift that others possess, as reason to put their own bland faces in front of a camera….and attempt to critique.
This is how they earn money?
Shame on them!
Living off the talent of others.
Must be a word for that…….
My wife and I were at a horse riding competition, western and stock work.
Sitting on the grass hill at the back of the arena and a lady was riding her horse in and about to compete
Out of the crowd comes a melodic super strong voice yelling "You got this babe, just like in practice !"
It was John and his wife was riding.
sn unmistakable voice !
I can hear it.
He is (singing aside) what we used to call an entertainer. He sings, jokes, interacts, includes and invites his audience into the moment. He is the cosumate entertainer. He is also a very funny and engaging bugger, off stage. He took the time on a sunny saturday afternoon outside a Sydney restaurant to sit and chat with my then 70+ year old parents and their friends, after he saw that they recognised him but were clearly too shy to come to him and talk say hello... so he went to them. 10 mins out of his time but a lifetime of a moment for mum & dad and friends on a weekend trip to Sydney. He is the best.
I think that sums up “the man we know” beautifully
David Bowie used to insist that he wasn't a star, he was an entertainer, he did it for the audience, not for himself although he enjoyed it so much
Yep thats the boy and hes still the same.
Well said @wonsworld. Everybody loves Farnsy. I mean everybody. Growing up in Oz, even my old boy new that he’d be out in a second if mum ever had a chance with John Farnham.
I remember when he performed The Main Event with Olivia Newton-John and Anthony Warlow and watching John and Anthony have so much fun together was the highlight of my childhood
Our John is the most talented, gorgeous, kind family man. he gives his all to audiences. He just came through a mouth cancer, he is now Cancer free. Australians LOVE YOU JOHN. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Was a bloody funny bugger too Tania! I've seen him in concert twice back in the early 2000's and he was always cracking jokes between songs and sets, what an absolute legend!
@@SteveInQLD007 He's very funny, a loveable larrikin.
your right, John is in every way a true Aussie, and a true gentleman everyone in Australia know and love him and one of the best if not the best entertainers, Oz was rocked to its core with his cancer diagnosis
Keith Urban was born in New Zealand.
Paul McCartney has gone on record as saying that, “this is the way I wanted it sung” and “my favourite version” of the song. You probably can’t get a higher compliment than that.
'When Something is Wrong with My Baby', a duet with Jimmy Barnes is impressive from both gentlemen. There are different versions on YT from later in his career, but it was a released few years after the 1988 Full House tour version of 'Help'. He also played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar in the 90s. His 'Gethsemane' is breath-taking and my default version of it. He is a national beloved icon in Australia. He is one of our greatest artists, with a vocal range comparable to the greats like Freddie Mercury but apart from a handful of songs, he isnt well known outside of here. I hope you look at more of his stuff. He has had an impressive career. While he was successful in his teens and 20s, he faded into near-obscurity before his album 'Whispering Jack' (some 20 years later) made him a megastar.
This was 1988. When Something is Wrong with my Baby was 1991. Not exactly "many years"!
Yes I second this. I think its time for her to hear these two together.
This definitely should be the next song for sure!
Came here to say this! Has to be one of the live versions, though - there are several on UA-cam and I vacillate constantly over which one is the best... I think it's this one, the 'Barnesy & Farnesy' clip: ua-cam.com/video/RAlFHSPLHpo/v-deo.html
Jimmy Barnes' rougher vocals are a perfect match for the "purity" of Johnny - its amazing
Im sure most are aware John had half his bottom jaw removed from cancer. He is fighting hard and is greatful for the love. I will send him and Jill this video and pass on your love and prayers.
So sad he may never sing again, but he has a great collection of songs for us to still enjoy his amazing talent!
@jesamindee6783 has a heap of unreleased stuff too but don't know if he will release it. He's picky about what he releases
@@thedashinbetween Please tell John we love/miss his brilliant witty humor as well please Matt. John made Saturdays great when on HHIS. :)
He smoked for around 50 years and still had such an incredible voice
Yes, please do. I knew he'd had to have part of his jaw removed, I was hoping it wasn't so much, although I kind of knew it probably was.
He has so much love from so many people around the country and the world, and I know that he is also surrounded by love from his family and friends. I hope he is doing OK, and I hope he knows how special he is to all of us, and whilst we are blown away and eternally grateful for getting to experience his amazing voice, it's not his voice which has made us love him, it's the person that we've seen behind the voice that does that.
Great news, guys!!! John Farnham, one year on from cancer surgery, has been declared cancer free!! I'm so happy today! ❤❤❤
I am a 58 year old classical music teacher and appreciate brilliance when I hear , I am ashamed I i have never heard of this man until now , this is stunning
Do some searching. This guy has been singing since you was 2 years old. There’s plenty to find.
Andrew, check out these John Farnham songs ( always play the live versions). Something is wrong with my baby, Playing to win, Its a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll, Black dog cover Led Zeppelin and John Farnham / Anthony Warlow Granada. That should get you started.
And Gethsemanne final night Sydney concert. Yes he played Jesus in Jesus Christ superstar
This is beautiful! Discovering something for the 1st time. Now I am probably your polar opposite. I grew up with John on the radio, TV, family records, tapes, vhs, CD, DVD... I can't tell you how many times I've seen and heard this version (we had the vhs & tape) but it STILL gives me goosebumps. Everytime!
So much enjoyment in store for you. Heaps of great recommendations in these comments 😃
I feel like he's the best kept vocal secret of the entire world, and now, decades later, when he's in his 70s and battling ill health, the rest of the world is finally catching up....
So true
So glad I’m an Aussie and grew up with his amazing voice
We certainly knew about him in Sweden back in the 80s. I remember my mom had a few records and everyone who was around back then has at least heard You're The Voice
@@antivanti Yes, as an old swede (56y) I can confirm that! "You´re The Voice" was a huge hit in Sweden. It´s a big mystery why he isn´t more recognized that he is. Imo he´s one of the greatest singers/entertainers ever and are sooooo underrated! Please, get well again, John ❤
He wasn't a secret in Aus. One of the greatest singers ever
John Farnham was a teenage pop star in the 1960's. In 1985 he was considered a has been and could not get a label to record him. His manager mortgaged his house to record Whispering Jack (the album that preceded this tour) staking everything to support his long time friend and they showed that popularity does not always mean that ultimate talent is displayed. He's an Australian icon who, while it appears he has beaten his health crisis, will probably never perform again. Thanks for everything you gave us John Farnham!
To think a voice like that could've remained in obscurity. I think the world owes a debt of gratitude to that manager.
This dude is so deeply loved. I remember my mum frantically trying to find the right station on the hifi’s radio as this was a live simulcast so people at home could get the sense of being there from home, was such an nationwide event. By this point he’d already been playing with the audience and having so much fun. That smile at the beginning of Help is the kind of love for an audience that I’ve rarely seen since.
👍… reading your mentions of ‘simulcast’ and ‘Hifi’, you’re making me feel old 😂. I remember watching this very concert over 30 years ago. So love, through the way you’re analysing, that you very clearly LOVED this performance. ❤
How have I not known him until now??? I fell in love when he smiled at the audience in the very beginning. FELL IN LOVE!!!!
Well you've got 50 years of John's music back catalogue to fall in love with now darl! ❤️ 😁
I think Elizabeth did too 😅
And the good news is that he is as lovely a person as the smile suggests. Generous, funny, always a down-to-earth, normal bloke who has the time of day for everyone. Married for 50 years, and never a hint of scandal despite being in the public eye since he was 19 (he's now 74), and having had women throwing themselves at him for decades.
If you watch more of his performances, you'll notice a couple of things (aside from his wonderful voice) - he always acknowledges the musicians on stage with him and gives them their time to shine, and he has a beautiful rapport with his audience. You will not find a performance where he is giving less than 100%, and we love him for that. Most of his musicians stayed with him for decades, and all continue to speak glowingly of him to this day. This man is absolutely beloved in Australia, and for good reason. As someone else said here, he is a very special human.
To us Aussies he’s part of the Family. We know how you feel😊❤️ He’s an absolutely awesome human being.👍🏼
@@Saan42 I’ve been doing some reading about his life and you’re absolutely correct. I’ve not found anything negative about him. I’ve watched about 15 hours worth of videos of him and each moment is more impressive than the previous. I’m so happy to have learned about him and his incredible journey!
Correct me if I’m wrong, this song is second encore after a 2 1/2 hour performance. Simply amazing 😊
You are definitely not wrong.
WHAT a legend !
Truth! ❤
Second encore on something like the 4th night in a row.
I'm a 60 year old man, and I've loved Johny all my life. He's a fairdinkum, down to earth bloke.
And to watch you react, and appreciate him for the mam, the singer he was, brought tears to my eyes. What a great man!
FARNZY!!!!!!
Same 🥹
Still is!
I felt so proud to know he is one of ours! And he has so much to share with the world
🤔🦘🙂 me too totally agree!
I had never heard of John Farnham until you reacted to "You're the Voice." HIS voice is superb--so much range but so controlled and emotive. One of the best ever!
She already did You're the Voice many weeks ago!
Check out his rendition of "Black Dog", it's only audio as he used it as a Mic. check and not a part of his performance. One day a Sound Engineer taped it, and we're so lucky that he did. I think it's even better than the Led Zepplin original.
@@devilsadvocate2548 Yep that’s what he said! 😂👍🏼
@@devilsadvocate2548 ... which is exactly what he said. 🤣
It's worth checking out his albums from the late 80's and early 90's like Whispering Jack, Age of Reason and Chain Reaction which were sort of the peak of his mullet period when he was at his biggest before his career sort of switched over to doing big shows for the older set and being the experienced older singer teaming up with young groups like human nature. There's also a newly released documentary about him that'd probably be worth a look if you can find it called something like Finding The Voice since his career almost died well before this era, because he'd popped up doing a novelty song back in like 1968 that his career took nearly two decades to recover from because everyone associated him with a terrible song that got popular.
He is a very much loved Australian legend. John Farnham is a blessing to the world.
What I really love about this is that the audience is singing along using Farnhams melody! They all know HIS version by heart from the first line. Even though it's completely different than The Beatles version.
I love when you totally geek out when watching great performances but this felt special, put a big smile on my face.
Possibly the greatest male vocalist of all time. Proud to be an Australian when I hear him sing. He makes it seem so effortless. I think John Lennon would have loved this version of his song. He’s just announced he beat cancer and is out of hospital. Great news. God bless John Farnham.
McCartney is on record saying this is the way they wanted to do it but the studio pushed them another way
Someone commented on another reaction vid to this performance that John Lennon is quoted as saying shortly before he died "That's the way it was supposed to be sung" & god I hope that's true. Reading that absolutely brought tears to my eyes...!
Along with Tom Jones and Devin Townsend.
A Sydney granny agrees. It may be urban myth, but I was told that when Lennon heard it he declared it the best version he had heard, and that when he wrote it he heard that potential but just could not get it out of the group. Peace and love...
He is the voice there is no better than this ❤
John Farnham is one of Australia's national treasures.
Truest statement EVER!!
This concert was advertised as John and his Big Band in typical Aussie understatement, it's a 100+ piece orchestra for crying out loud. lol
This song is one of the last songs of the night after he has already sung his heart out for nearly 3 hours, and Farnsey also has a way of getting into the emotions of your soul.
A couple of songs worth checking have been mentioned below, plus these are worth a look also.
The reason you haven't heard of him is because the US music industry is a closed little club. When John Farnham went to the US they didn't know which genre to put him in so his US promotions manager got him a couple of gigs in a little jazz club, where the MC introduced him as Jack Phantom. Couldn't even be bothered getting his name correct, so being a bit disheartened he wandered home to concentrate on his loyal fan base. The experience did give him inspiration to write a couple of good songs about missing his family, like this one.
-Burn For You..
ua-cam.com/video/4PPvOhPspEA/v-deo.html
-Angels..
Notice how he holds the mike below his chest, both mikes are a metre away, which he does all the time to not drown out the other singers.
John and Lisa Edwards, a top singer in her own right, and one of John's back up singers for 20+ years.
ua-cam.com/video/5_2NJRIdBO8/v-deo.html
-To show the calibre of his other back up Singers, showing you have to be good in your own right, just like Lisa.
Vanetta Fields and Lindsey Field.
ua-cam.com/video/_x6N94OEkZQ/v-deo.html
-Please Don't Ask Me..
This one with Olivia Newton John, who we have recently lost. John has also had major cancer surgery including removal of part of his jaw and we may not hear him sing again. So let's enjoy this one as well..
ua-cam.com/video/2uV_tZODfK8/v-deo.html
-When Something Is Wrong With My Baby....
And even when he is singing with one of the most powerful voices on the planet, Jimmy Barnes, he still put the mike away from his face and closer to Jonny Diesel on guitar.
ua-cam.com/video/AU_bCchDWF4/v-deo.html
Or this version.
ua-cam.com/video/RAlFHSPLHpo/v-deo.html
-When The War Is Over…
Possibly one of his greatest vocals.
ua-cam.com/video/lfWrXc5eN8g/v-deo.html
-Or is the greatest.
Gethsemane..
ua-cam.com/video/k5woMZtClhI/v-deo.html
-How about a mike test.
He has the power and ability to distort microphones, amps, and speaker stacks. So this sort of setting up of the venue test is a must. Lol
Black Dog.
ua-cam.com/video/F2Yi6TVi-sU/v-deo.html
Besides having the best voice ever, JF can adjust his tone, pitch, volume, to match the person he is singing with to either match them or sing just under them depending on who's the head line act, he will even back himself down when he is the head line to give others their moment to shine, and if my ears were sensitive enough, I wouldn't be surprised if he could vary his vibrato, timbre and all of those other things that voices can do so he could accentuate the other singers.
Awesome list of some of the best of John's performances.
Thank you for that list of links!
Thank you
This was not the last song of that particular recorded concert. There was another encore after Help where he sang Sadie and It's a Long Way to the Top. Plus this recorded concert was closer to 2 hours than it was to 3. John was known to mix things up between nights which is why so many people incorrectly say this concert (the recorded show) went for 3 hours and Help was the last song.
@@devilsadvocate2548 Somone freaked out and corrected me a couple of weeks ago, that's why I changed this list to 'one of the last songs, rather than 'the' last song, or the 'encore' or whatever I had been told 18 months ago.
I also said nearly 3 hours, but I'm not going to penalise him for half an hour or so, especially if this wasn't his first show of the tour. Just because he didn't sing 3 hours when this particular clip was recorded, doesn't change the fact that it would have sounded just as brilliant, just as emotional, and his voice would have sounded just as powerful, soulful, and as sweet if he had sung it as the last song of a 16 hour Telethon.
Around 20 or so years ago, Australia was experiencing some very bad droughts on the Eastern side of the country. John decided to do a series of concerts up and down the East Coast, and in the affected rural areas, to raise money for the drought affected areas. 60 minutes Australia did a story on the tour as something strange was happening. Almost everywhere he performed, it rained, earning him a new nickname, The Rainman. Whilst 60 minutes was recording footage of a concert for the story, they were filming a song called 'Talk of the Town', which, ironically, is about drought breaking rain, it began to pour down with rain. Just thought I'd like to share that.
I remember that when I was a kid.
It was in the 90's
His song 'You're the Voice' for the referendum didn't rain a YES23 vote though... Guessing his magic ran out?
What years? I don't remember him doing that and rains coming coincidentally in time? I remember droughts in the early 2000s over East... I am in WA. @@damientaylor7480
Really? The Coalition ran a campaign based on lies, rumors and innuendo without providing a single scrap of evidence to support their claims, and that's all you got out of it? John Farnham lent his song in support of something he believed in. The only thing the Coalition achieved is that they made us look like a bunch of racists to the world. This is because the only thing they believe in is gaining power for themselves for the sake of gaining power.
@@Defensive_Wounds
I was fortunate to meet John in a professional capacity. He's such a gracious person, very down to earth and very friendly. Hope he recovers soon.
As a fellow Australian thank you so much for continuing down this amazing rabbit hole of John Farnham. John Lennon was quoted as saying that this version of Help by John Farnham was always how he envisioned the song to sound. I loved your reaction so much.
It wasn't John Lennon as Lennon died a few months after Farnsie first recorded his verison of Help in 1980. It was Paul McCartney that said he preferred this slower version to the original.
@@Rob_D74 Ohh ok thank you for the correction I knew it was one of the Beatles , but either way what a huge compliment.
@@Rob_D74 no it was John Lennon who made the comment on how much more he preferred John Farnham’s version when he first heard it not that long before he died. I saw the documentary when John actually mentioned that when he wrote the song at the time, it was written as a cry for help. John hated the Beatles, original version. It was the studio execs who forced them to speed it up so that it sounded more “Preppy” and commercial. The documentary showed him at home at the Dakota apartment in New York. just sitting at the piano singing a beautiful slow version, the way he always wanted it to be.
@@mssuziquzi so you'll have a non UA-cam comments reference to that Lennon quote?
@@captcaveman82 Do your own research like I did.☺
That was the best evaluation, examination, and appreciation of a song I’ve ever seen online. Your understanding of the mechanics of voice production and your unbridled excitement, is a joy to behold Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion in such an insightful way.
I've been waiting a year for the best reactor to react to the greatest male singer ever. The result was worth the wait, I knew you would be mesmerized by John!😂
Incredible. I have never heard of him before now. Top 5 voices I have ever heard.
If you haven't already, I recommend checking out his other songs, 'Burn for You', 'You're the Voice', 'Playing to Win', 'That's Freedom', 'Touch of Paradise' and his duet with Jimmy Barnes, 'When Something is Wrong with My Baby'...to get you started :)
LIVE!
Here is an example how how famous he is in Australia. This concert was televised live in the 90s. It was advertised for week and we pland our day around it.
As an Australian I grew up listening to John John Farnham, it is not now till I'm in my 40s that I appreciate just how good he sounds.
I’m 56 Aussie and so proud 🥲 of our Johnny. His heart is as big as his voice! 💖🤗🇦🇺 Oh and yeah, I still get goosebumps every time I hear HIM!! 🤩
@gman7949 Same. I'm in my late 40's and live overseas now. I saw him as a kid at the Sydney Entertainment Center and never truly realized how amazingly talented he was until now. So proud he is an Aussie!
@@sarah-sillz
Plus he has such a great connecting type personality…loves including everyone and sharing his sense of humour. 🤗💖
Im not sure it's been mentioned. This was the ENCORE performance after a full concert. The man was legit a legend ! One of his infamous warm-ups was Black Dog by Led zeppelin. Sadly, there is no vision, but the audio is absolutely next level!!!
Then he backed it up with ANOTHER encore after Help!
After a 3 HOUR CONCERT 🤯🤯
@heffatheanimal that was a different night. This recorded one went closer to 2 hours as he was known to mix things up a bit. Regardless, his vocal endurance was incredible.
@@devilsadvocate2548 Gotcha.
I'm pretty sure I've seen a vid of him doing Black Dog.
I am convinced that like athletes, some people are genetically gifted to perform at extraordinary levels in their given sport specialty. This man was gifted with an incredible anatomical vocal structure. He's amazing!
Absolutely. But John Farnham's sublime talent is also about his charisma, energy, connection to audience and song, and joy in performance . How lucky we were to get all those traits in one wonderful human being!
I was lucky enough as a 15 yo doing back up vocals for him when he was just 25. He just simply is " the voice" and unique. Speedy recovery John. ❤
The live version of “Burn for You” by John Farnham is ah-mazing 🙌🏼
i'd forgotten about that song. cheers for the reminder
Great call, amazing
Oh she needs to check that out, I can see her being blown away
Facts.
Beautiful song
Farnham turned this song into something so much more than a cover. It’s a different version altogether and one more consistent with how it was originally intended (Lennon wanted this to be a slower song but apparently record producers encouraged a poppier version). I would recommend adding hashtags to John Farnham to your post if you want more people to find this video. Many thanks from 🇦🇺 ❤
👍
He is that good, John Farnham is known as The Voice in Australia. He is the GOAT !
FARNSEY and BARNSEY....THE BEST ...Aussie rules...oi oi.
John can sing and perform absolutely anything
We are so lucky to have enjoyed him for so long.
❤❤❤ Now we just need to know he is going to recover.
So grateful for all that he’s given us over the years.
Hes doing good considering. It's highly unlikely he will sing again but knowing John he won't quit trying.
Your excitement for John’s passion is awesome.
I hope you have millions of views on this reaction including EVERY Aussie.
We have been the lucky ones for many years. 🇦🇺
I agree with many comments saying that John is Australia’s best kept vocal secret. I’m enjoying seeing so many young, overseas reactors appreciating this great artist. For those that don’t know, John recently battled throat cancer & underwent a mammoth operation. We weren’t sure whether we’d ever hear that wonderful voice again. Latest updates reveal that John is currently cancer free & is back singing & dancing around the house. I couldn’t be happier to hear this & know others feel the same. We hope to see you back onstage, one day & are so happy you’re beating that beast cancer. Lots of love to John from all of us! 💕
Oh thank you so much for the update. This fills my ❤ with joy and happiness. To hear that he is C free and is singing again is wonderful news. John filled my life with happiness so so many times. Loved every concert I saw him in - he brought the house down at the Fire Fight concert.
Love you John. ❤❤ be well
This guy, I'm speechless. Just a few seconds in and I'm holding back tears...well, at least I try to hold them back. I don't know. Just thankful for people like him. Makes me glad to be alive, which in this world doesn't happen to me very much. F'n love this guy.
John has had us Aussies in the ‘feels’ for over 50 years😊👍🏼❤️🇦🇺
I’ve been listening to him since I was a kid… yet I am sitting in a waiting room…watching this (to kill time) and welling up🥹. It is extraordinary how well he sings this song live!
Always brings tears, joy to me!
I know John but I never heard this version of the fab 4 Help. And I have to say this is so much better, so intense. And the beginning, just say nothing and smile to his audience. He made me cry from happiness. Thank you John and Elizabeth, you made my dat🎉😅🎉
its ok ., Truly great music does that !!!
I love seeing people react to this performance. I think it exemplifies his amazing talent. Not to mention this phenomenal interpretation of the song!
You do realise that he sang this song in front of the Queen of England. Everyone was amazed that he sang it as a ballad. He's now recovering from jaw cancer but he's still the best vocalist in Australia!!!!!!!
John is an incredible artist. His duet with Olivia Newton John singing "Please don't ask me" it is a beautiful song and shows his connection with Olivia. Angels, Amazing Grace and When something is wrong with my baby are 3 different songs that show multiple sides of John's unbelievable talent and personality.
What John Farnham song should we suggest to Elizabeth next? Personally I think his duet with Jimmy Barnes 'When something is wrong with my baby' preferably the Hey Hey it's Saturday version. This way it'll open the door for her to react to Barnsey and Johnny Diesel ;)
Yes thats the best version by far
Yes the live version I like the hey hey it’s Saturday one
Plus “please don’t ask me “with Olivia NJ
Yes Yes and Yes. It HAS to be the ‘Hey Hey It’s Saturday’ version with the Diesel acapella ending !!! It’s about time we introduced Elizabeth to another Aussie Icon, Jimmy Barnes. Please Elizabeth, hear our prayers 🙏
"Black Dog". It's a WOW!!!!
John is a family man and never wanted the lifestyle of more reconised entertainers. His voice will achieve what he was reluctant to do and travel the world. Thank you John for sharing your talent.
Your delight in discovering John's voice is delicious 😂. The next 'blow your socks off' song would have to be Gethsemane, final night Sydney 1992. John and Anthony Warlow performing Granada is great fun. And to go back to his earliest displays of vocal perfection, try Bridge Over Troubled Water, from 1979. (lots of lovely mouth shapes) He was always The Voice. What you realise as you listen to more of his work is that his voice seems to have no limits. And all without any vocal training.
What a voice. Toward the end of the song, when he's really belting it out, did you notice how far he holds the microphone from his mouth? His voice is so powerful that he can sing with the microphone around a foot away from his mouth, yet the sound still comes through so powerfully.
Also, John Farnham is a national treasure in Australia.
I read a comment by a sound technician that worked with him and he said John's voice is so powerful that he blew the mic amps. Perhaps it's why he moves the mic away when he belts.
And you can tell it's powerful when he has to hold the mike away so he doesn't drown out Jimmy Barnes, arguably one of the most powerful voices on the planet, ever.
"John Farnham is a national treasure in Australia"
Yeah, I'm Australian and I know several people who would fight you over John Farnham, lol
@@beauson1983 Talking shit about John Farnham is a good way to get hit in Australia.
@@Wrathlon And rightly so dammit, haha
for someone new to Farnham, its just so lovely to see the absolutely joy in your face and seeing him do what he does. We've known and loved him forever!
I have seen John live in concert over 50 times in my life. He is the greatest male artist of all time and it brings a tear to my eye that UA-cam is helping him get discovered by the rest of the world. We love him so much is in Australia 🇦🇺!
Your comment about gospel is something that many experts have made before. You need to watch his whole catalogue.
Thank you for sharing!
For this to be the closing song of that concert is mind-boggling. What an amazing vocalist, like on a Freddie Mercury-level amazing. I'm sorry it took so long for me to discover this treasure of a singer, but I feel rewarded that I finally did.
One of the few singers that IMO is a fair comparison to Freddie Mercury.
Yet what's even more mind boggling is that it wasn't the closing song that night. There was another encore after Help where he sang Sadie and the high energy It's a Long Way to the Top.
Actually Freddy Mercury was a fan of John he said that John had the purest and perfect voice he has every heard. After Freddy pass away he was ask to replace Freddy has their lead singer John declined respectfully, he wasn’t interested in touring he’d done that with LRB and wanted to stay in Australia with his family and continue his solo career which we are so grateful for we have nearly 60 years of The Voice. He is a national treasure here in Australia a bloody legend. You don’t compare him to anyone, his voice is unique and one that is respected and admired by his peers all over the world. The rabbit hole is a long and deep one with John and there are many clips on UA-cam, even concerts this one included which just phenomenal from stat to finish. He stated out at 17 and released he’s first single in 1968 with Sadie the cleaning lady it was no1 hit.. he performed right until March 2020 he was 70 then covid hit. last year John lost his best mate and full time manager to covid then he lost his long time good friend Olivia Newton John and 2 weeks after that he was diagnosed with month and underwent a 12 hour operation to remove the cancerous growth and have reconstructive surgery done to his jaw his still going through treatment and from what we have been told his responding well but it a long haul. we don’t know if John will ever sing again and most are saying he won’t but honestly all we want is for him to well and be with his family he deserves that after all he has given us over the years.. always listen to John live you won’t be sorry.. 🧐🥰🇦🇺
He did add Sadie after this, to please the audience!
@@kazbutler And "It's a Long Way to the Top" following Sadie.
I was crying throughout this guy's Amazing performance, His voice together with his personality makes him so likeable and it's at the top of my playlist now for sure.
His mic technique and vocalisation are top tier. take any live performance from his 20s right through to his 70s and you won't be disappointed. Here are some other performances to look out for from John Farnham. When possible always choose live performances from him.
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Pressure Down
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Burn For You
Don't You Know It's Magic
One
That's Freedom
Two Strong Hearts
John Farnham & Jimmy Barnes When The War Is Over - Cold Chisel
John Farnham & Jimmy Barnes When Something Is Wrong With My Baby - Sam & Dave
A Touch Of Paradise
Playing To Win
Seemed Like A Good Idea
Every Time You Cry
Long Way to the Top If You Want to Rock n Roll - ACDC
yeah, I was blown away by his rock ability in that sound check of Black Dog
@@narcissus79 me too!! Only found that recently. Just WOW!!!! ❤
You forgot Angel.
angels with Lisa Edwards is the only one you missed, .
Angels and Have a Little Faith In Us too 😁👍🏻
This is a very revealing look at the man behind the voice. His friendliness just pours out of him as he eggs on the crowd in their singing of the first verse. He is known as a genuinely nice guy. No pretension or self importance, just a man with an amazing voice, who loves to bring happines to his audience and so actively engages with them, so it becomes a collaboration. Can’t speak highly enough of him. His obvious joy at the audience participation is infectious and endearing. We in Australia have been truly blessed.
Lucky to have seen John perform a number of times. As an Australian I am proud to say he is a National Treasure and an absolute legend. Grateful for what he has given us all.
It is so nice to finally see the rest of the world appreciate and love John Farnham as much as we Aussie's have for decades. In this particular video, it is so nice to see someone almost falling in love with his voice, just like I did 30+ years ago. We loved him first, but more than happy to share.
The thing about John is that it is all natural. Sure his voice has developed with all the work over the years, but he always had this voice, and is pretty much untrained. At this time he was a heavy smoker too. He does some light opera with fellow Australian Anthony Warlow (Our original Phantom) and is amzing there as well. He started as a teenager and has given his all for over half a century. His comedic talent is also superb and he never stops showing appreciation to the musos and audience who have travelled the journey with him. He is an amazing human and a living legend. He is in his 70s now, recovering from cancer surgery and every single Aussie is behind him, willing him on and wishing him well. A documentary on his life was released a couple of weeks ago here in theatres. We love our Farnsy! Get well John! 💕💕
Hi Elizabeth. Thankyou so much for being so kind, so genuine, and so polite when crossing paths today. It was so nice to chat with you. The cliche of living in a small world, and rotten Aussies everywhere 😂 To all Elizabeths subscribers, she is just as wonderful meeting in person, as she is on UA-cam
This is the best reaction i've seen from you Elizabeth John is an icon and a national treasure. During the 70s and 80s he was a regular guest on a variety show where he sang with some of the biggest stars on the planet including Pavarotti Tom Jones and Tina Turner who was so impressed with him that she added his version of Help to her own setlist He is the only artist in this country to have had a number 1 single five decades in a row. Before releasing Help his friend and manager Glen Wheatley played it to Lennon and McCartney. Lennon loved it and said that was how it was supposed to have sounded but because it was used for the title track for the movie the Beatles version had to be peppy! The Whispering Jack album is still the biggest selling record in Australian history going six times platinum. At one point it believed that one in four households owned a copy! And here's the kicker Elizabeth; John is self taught! He has never had a singing lesson in his life! He learned how to sing by practising in the shower! More recently he was diagnosed with cancer in his mouth and went through a 13 hour operation that included the removal of part of his jaw. Everyone here in Oz wishes him the best for a full recovery and according to his wife Jill he's doing well. The reason you've never heard of him is he loves his family and was always happy to play for Australian audiences who also loved him. His nickname here is The Voice even today! I would recommend the duet he sang with Olivia Newton John even though it's one of the songs he wrote for Jill it's a gorgeous performance and shows how close the two of were having known each other since the 70s. And also the duet with Jimmy Barnes who is also a national icon here. Although you may fall into a Barnsley rabbit hole because Jimmy is also incredible to hear! Lots of love to you and yours! Keep doing what you do better than anyone else!!! Jon
And Celion Dion even went full fan-girl when he walked out on stage with her!
It's funny how those self-taught turn out to be some of the best.
John Farnham has not had vast vocal training in the way that say an opera singer would, but to say he’s completely self taught is not true. I’ve heard him with my own ears reply to the question about training as “very little “. Someone with his natural talent can take “very little “, build on it and expand it into a lot. But he’s NOT completely self taught.
I can't remember the details, but I think Richard Marx was so impressed by him that he paid him a stack of cash to go to the US to do a party so he could show him off
He never wrote please dont ask me, Graeme Goble of LRB wrote it!
This was a great video. I had never heard of this guy until now. I did some research on him and he’s a HUGE success in Australia! He’s like a national treasure over there. I was saddened to find out he had to have part of his jaw removed, due to cancer!!!! As a cancer patient, myself, that really hit me. Cancer sucks so bad. To think this guy will never share this amazing gift again is absolutely heartbreaking. I hope he heals up enough to continue sharing his gift with the world. Thank you for posting this wonderful video ❤
I knew he had oral cancer, I didn’t know that he had part of his jaw removed 😢 He was a chain smoker for most of his life, he use to chew gum on stage!
His feels like a part of most ppl's family here in Australia! Your words were very sweet and he genuinely deserves all the accolades he gets such a beautiful humble man who loves his fans as much as we love him... A movie was recently released on his life called John Farnham finding the voice... Well worth a watch showing his climb from the 60's till he became the voice we know and love today.. ❤
@@SuzyTrippa thank you for the recommendation. I’ll certainly check that movie out.
He has recovered his family states hes now cancer free and he is sing around the house but we have to remember he is now 74.
But he sung right up to he was 72 live
He is definitely HUGE here.
This is one of the best covers of any song, ever.
Amen
I've been looking forward to this, and it's about time. Just for a bit of context, John did this as an encore after already performing for two hours, and that just makes it even more phenomenal.
I worked on live shows in Australia for 17 years, for both Australian and international acts, and IMHO John rates as close to being one of the best singers of all time. Something I have come to believe very much is that a person can be a technically good singer, but to be a truly great singer you need passion, for the music and the lyrics. You need to put your feelings into the song, and push yourself even if the notes you hit aren't absolutely perfect, and this is something that John Farnham is a master at. He connects with the music, the song, and the audience.
If you're gonna go down this rabbit hole, the next one on the list should be Burn For You: ua-cam.com/video/4PPvOhPspEA/v-deo.html
For even more context, he came back out for another encore after Help to sing 2 more songs!
Agree, such emotion in that song.
also helps to have that cheeky streak.
Yes! I really hope she reacts to Burn for You. The delicacy and control and beauty of his performance of that song is hard to beat.
As a New Zealander who lived in Australia for a long while, I've been listening to Farnesy for about 30 years. Gott-damned that man can sing. This is the 'Help" version I grew up on too, not the Beatles version. I've been waiting for this video.
Don't know if you've ever heard it but check out his version of the Led Zepplin song "Black Dog" just adds to the amazement of J.F. He only used itas a Mic. Check. so it's only audio as a sound engineer recorded it one day.
i worked fold back monitoring for JF for a show here in melbourne and got to speak to him about his vibrato and voice and what he wanted in his fold back mix. he said not much i think we had a bit of a 1/32 dely a quick reverb on his vocal. he made me cry hearing this live backstage. i have a full accepella of this on dat tape. you are dead right on all his vowels and shaping of words he the masters voice! we all pray for JF and hope for a brighter future!
Whoa! First time hearing Farnham and I am 60 yrs old. I'm going down the rabbit hole now!
Wombat Burrow…😆👍🏼❤️🇦🇺
Check out his last album ever( studio ) called 33 1/3 , a real blusey jazz album one of my faves
Always watch live performances of John they are so much better! Enjoy!
Enjoy ❤🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
Welcome! 😊
Hi,
I just wanted to start by saying that I am a huge fan of you, and your channel, I have been watching for the last few years and I have to say, your reaction to John Farnham’s version of Help is by far my favourite reaction of yours ever, you could tell that you were genuinely pleased and surprised by Johns singing.
I have been a fan of John’s my whole life, I’m 58 right now and have been following his career from when he recorded Sadie The Cleaning Lady in the late 60’s when he was known as Johnny Farnham, I was there during his lows as well, when he could hardly get anyone to a concert, he has become a legend in the Australian music industry and is viewed by many to be Australia’s best singer, ever. I was there in 1989 at the National Tennis Centre for the concert with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and it was an amazing night that I will never forget. I have also been lucky enough to meet and talk with John on 3 occasions, and he is a wonderful, friendly, funny guy to talk with.
If you want to see some amazing live duets he has done, do yourself a favour and have a look at one he did with the great Olivia Newton John “Please Don’t Ask Me” its an amazing emotional performance by them both, or have a look at the live performances of “When Something is Wrong with My Baby” he has done with the Australian rock legend, Jimmy Barnes.
Unfortunately, John underwent surgery last year for Oral Cancer, and although it is still too early to tell, he may never sign again……….
Hi Craig, even if John can't ever sing again, he has left us with so many great performances and amazing vocals to listen to. Last time I heard him sing was at the Sirromet Winery here in Queensland. He was 70, and was still singing amazingly well. For his age he sang almost exactly the same as his younger self, although couldn't hold the notes as long, but it didn't matter, as his whole performance that afternoon was simply delightful. One of the best days of my life!
Elizabeth, thank you for giving this 80's humble Aussie one of the most loved moments on UA-cam. Your fearless passion for what you do, like I do with mine, and sometimes Im told to tone it down. Stay exactly how you are!
Thank you Elizabeth !! Been waiting for this one because we knew you'd love it !! I think most of us Aussies have heard John say ' if you know the words, please don't sing along because you'll stuff it up ' hahahaha... many many times... we've been very spoilt being able to see him live over the years... He performed every concert as if it was the first time he'd done it so that the audience got the best of him every time.... He is one of the most down to Earth and humble humans on the planet and we love him..... Playing to win or Long way to the top from the same concert are both epic... I'm sure you will be inundated with many more requests from everyone.
*Rubs hands together*
Heck yes, more John Farnham!
It should be noted that John had been singing longer that you have been alive... The man is an ABSOLUTE LEGEND!
You really need to listen to john farnham and Jimmy Barnes singing "when something is wrong with my baby"
Jimmy Barnes is another amazing singer.
Thank you for tonight's reaction. I knew you'd be blown away. 👍
That performance is absolutely something else. Next level tears/chills. It's more than enough to make you proud to be an Australian....!
Jimmy Barnes screeches, John Farnham sings. There is no comparison in my opinion.
I literally am crying and am so proud of our legend John Farnham and am so privileged to have had his songs as my teen soundtrack. So proud of you John, please get well soon, we love you. Always in our prayers. Thank you for reacting so beautifully to John's epic voice. Much love from Queensland Australia 🦘💜
I'm crying too. I think he was a plumber - a tradesman - in his early years.
And incredible that (if I'm remembering correctly) he went back to the building industry after his first few hits.
It was another man - Glen Wheatley - who hocked his house to re-launch John with an album (Whispering Jack) that had the necessary time and production values put into it. The rest is history.
@@rosskelly8268 I am just so happy Glen fought for him. He's amazing. Thanks so much for your reply.
A beautiful human. We Aussie's are blessed to have grown up listening to this talented man. I have seen him live about 8 times & he is always the same. Humble & great fun. I hope his health continues to improve. We love you John.
I’ve rewatched this three times already. As an Australian, I’ve grown up listening to this great man and to see him being praised and appreciated for his craft is a beautiful thing ❤. Your a sweetheart, new subscriber xxx live your work!
A beloved, Australian treasure. Thank you for helping share his voice with the rest of the world. Turning a short song into a 25 minute reaction is a pretty good indication of how much you enjoyed our "Farnsey" as much as us Ozzies do.
The best voice l have ever heard,it was live! He is incredible,and l hope he is feeling the love ❤️ and his recovery from surgery going well❤️Thank you John🙏🏻Your music has been a big part of my life.
Thank you for doing this. John always delivers but his greatest gift, I think, is his emotional connection with his audience. Yes, he is technically solid, even brilliant, but he delivers all the emotions
Anyone else from Australia remember these shows being live on TV in the 1980's? Pretty sure they were 'simulcast' on the Fox or MMM networks, with the TV broadcast.
A) You could prick pretty much any song from this concert with the MSO, and be suitably impressed
B) Pretty sure every mum in Australia had a massive crush on John, he was a pretty good looking bloke, who could sing a wall down. Everyone of my Friends mums had this album on Vinyl or Cassette lol.
C) The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra have been a force of nature for as long as I can remember. So many great Bands and Singers have played with them over the years. My Favorite Band, The Tea Party, have played with them on a couple of Tours, and it always takes their amazing music to another level with the extra layers.
Thanks from Australia Elizabeth, and keep getting healthier John, we're all with you in your recovery from Cancer.
I just love our John his voice his personality his compassion and connection to people is undisputable, he is no secret we have loved him for many many years, he will always be discovered, recognised and admired as an awesome person, voice, and beautiful human being who just wanted to sing...and OMG can he flippen sing!!!
My favourite moment in this performance is when he allows the audience to complete the line “I’m feeling down” and then he stops completely and repeats it himself. I really like how the entire orchestra and backing singers take his cue for resuming the song. His paced resumption of the song was fully supported by the conductor and entire stage. Rehearsed that way of course, but executed with great style and accuracy. Enjoyed your reaction too!
John Farnham is a national treasure. Another really talented Australian singer is Tina Arena. Her live performances of Chains are unbelievably good.
Hard agree. Tina is amazing.
And don’t forget one of John’s favorite duet partners Olivia Newton-John
i'd say Tina was my favourite female singer, if Vanessa Amorosi didn't exist.
he is a national treasure here -he was probably the key influence in inspiring me to sing. there will be no other "whispering jack"
This performance of Help was his second encore of the night... hard to believe he sings like THIS after singing his heart out for 2 and a half hours beforehand!!!
It was the end of his first encore this particular night. Sadie and It's a Long Way to the Top was in the second encore after Help. Plus, the recorded concert was closer to 2 hours. John was known to mix things up between nights! 😊
Wow!
At a time he was sucking back two packs of durries a day.
Don’t forget his microphone technique is incredible.. such a professional
trumpet fingers!
Especially when he tosses it around and catches it without missing a beat. Have you also noticed how he can bend right over or crouch down to someone in the audience and still belt a high note? Unbelievable!
His mic technique is the best I've ever seen from a pop/rock artist.
@@nzlemming Let's not forget the Shure mic!!!
@@bepperighi5496 You can have the best, gold-plated mic in your hand, but you'll still sound bad if you don't know how to use it.
Your appreciation for John’s skill, your fan girling just brings me joy.
Those who get it, are in awe.
What a beautiful man, with the most beautiful voice.
Love you johnny
I’ve watched this reaction maybe half a dozen times over several months. I love how much you’re blown away by John’s performance. Here in Australia, we’ve been enjoying his talent for decades. And though he’s obviously aged, his voice hasn’t diminished, and neither has his passion, enthusiasm, and cheeky sense of fun. I’ve never heard a bad word said about him. Sadly, when I watch his videos now, it is with a deep, deep sadness, and I always tear up. You may know that John has been diagnosed with mouth cancer, and has had major surgery to his jaw. We don’t know what the future holds for him, or if he’ll ever be able to sing again. What a monumental loss that would be.
I have tears in my eyes..
John Farnham and Freddie Mercury are the reason I love to sing ..
He is the finest male singer I’ve ever heard.
Incredible.
Another great singer to check out is John Waite, he is from 🇬🇧 and has an amazing range.
I'd include Steve Perry as well.
Greetings from Australia. Thank you for recognizing and respecting our John Farnham !!!! He's "The Voice" !!
I really hope John gets to see these reviews - such well deserved praise and recognition
Greatest male vocalist of all time & you can't change my mind. What a force. I love the international love he's been getting lately ❤
Disgracefully underrated ! If he was a yank or a Pom he’d be known as the greatest vocalist in history
I think you are forgetting about Tiny Tim. Lol
@@berniehand5528 good one...
@@berniehand5528 Tiptoe…through the tulips😆
John would be one of Australia's most loved Aussies and not just because he is one of the greatest voices to ever sing but because he is the most humble down to earth cool dude you can ever imagine. I hope he lives forever ❤
It’s so bittersweet that we may not hear John sing again, but so so happy he is getting the recognition he deserves outside of our native Oz. He is an incredible singer and performer, and can truly sing anything. His range is up there with Freddy Mercury, and his singing hits you in the guts every time. I hope you read this comment Elizabeth so you can watch John singing accapella with his idol Sir Tom Jones on Hey Hey it’s Saturday. Tom was blown away by his range and pitch accuracy
I loved watching your beautiful, unbridled, joyous reactions, listening to our Aussie icon. Your technical knowledge is amazing.
Our Incredible John Farnham…. Not only a really nice guy, funny, passionate, relatable, but One of the best voices on the planet!🇦🇺♥️
There is another performance, from 2000, that you need to check: 'Angels'. It is an example of supremely skillful teamwork between him and his longtime back-up singer Lisa Edwards, plus a beautiful song to boot. It's completely acoustic and my current favourite.
Of course it is also a great example of this singing. Plus a little bonus of his comedic talents at the beginning.
Phwawwww
Yes, Angels is my latest favourite John Farnham and Lisa Edwards song.❤
Angels was written by Jennifer K Kimball and Tom Kimmel.
@@jeffwilson7100 corrected my post, thank you.
I have seen probably 50 reactions to this song, and this, BY FAR, is the very best reaction I have seen. The fact you go back time and time again to watch certain points in the video, shows just how incredibly blown away you were with the song and his amazing voice. I noticed that moment you loved in the second last line of the song, where he holds that note till he can no more, matched the last note that the saxophone played. Most other reactions to this video just play straight through, like what just happened is no big deal. I have even seen people just sit there stone faced as though nothing had happened. John only just parted the earth with that song, and I thank you for such a beautiful reaction. A reaction that this song totally deserves. Thank you.
I was waiting on that last line because I knew it too would get her attention.
Hes affectionately called "the voice" here in Australia.
National treasure, absolute beast of a singer and an even better performer 🙏🏻
Hi Elizabeth, I am not sure what I enjoyed more, John's amazing rendition of this song - or your reaction and appreciation of it. Both were stunning, and I am so glad that you got to experience this song. John has been part of the Aussie performing landscape for ever, and happily we have vids like these to continue to enjoy them. Cheers.
Elizabeth's reactions to John's incredible voice is wonderful. I just love how she had to go back and re-listen to certain parts. Elizabeth has become my favourite John Farnham reactor (and I watch a lot of them!) ❤
I am Australian, and slightly ashamed to admit that I have never been a huge fan. But this performance? Absolute perfection and a showcase of his undeniable talent and very special gift. When I need a lift, I come back to this video.
John’s drummer, Angus Burchall was the reason I loved drumming from such a young age. So greatful for this man and his band. 🙏🏼🙌🏼
Well that was just everything I had hoped it would be. So very happy you picked up the coments and chose this one to react to. It's my perosnal favourite. Just completely next level. Hopefully you do find your way to checking out more of the Legend. His versatility is beyond compare - "Gethesemane" form Jesus Christ Superstar, "Black Dog" cover of Led Zepplin, "Burn for You" original song, "Granada" duet with Anthony Warlow, "Please Don't ASk Me" duet with Olivia Newton John, "When the War is Over" duet with Jimmy Barnes, "Reminiscing" with Little River Band, "Amazing Grace" with his backing singers, "My Yiddish Momme" duet with Tom Jones and "Bridge over Troubled Waters" cover form 1979. Seriously, There is absolutely nothing John cannot sing. All of them live performances pre-autotune and nothing but awesome! Again, thankyou for doing this one though. Simply the best cover song ever!